Capitol Theatre

124 W. Martin Street,
Raleigh, NC 27601

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rivest266
rivest266 on April 29, 2020 at 11:03 pm

The Capitol theatre opened on January 17th, 1924 with “The Leavenworth Case”

Larc
Larc on March 30, 2010 at 2:32 am

The News & Observer press building now occupies land where the Capitol Theatre once stood. The Capitol and buildings that once stood on each side of it have been demolished.

For anybody interested in seeing exactly where the Capitol stood, use Google Earth to go to 158 W. Martin St. in Raleigh (nearer where the theatre actually was than the 124 W. Martin address in Earth). Go to street level and click on the 158 W. Martin St. icon. Look north. The Capitol box office was approximately behind where you see the small tree. A clue is in the slant of the sidewalk . Note the sidewalk in the linked picture of the Capitol begins a slight uphill slant toward the left in front of the theatre. The same slant is visible in Google Earth.

67imprice
67imprice on December 16, 2009 at 8:45 pm

I was present when the State Theatre was torn down for the Wake County Jail in the summer of 1987 on Salisbury St. The theatre was in ruins. The building in front of the State Theatre facing Salisbury St. is called the Lawyers Building and it is still there. The main entrance for the State Theatre was a foyer through the Lawyers Building. Surely someone in Raleigh remembers that and can reminisce on that.
(For the previous poster: The Capitol Theatre was on Martin St. not Salisbury St.)
Secondly, I was present when the Ambassador on Fayetteville St. was torn down in March of 1989. The city of Raleigh was secretly trying to have it demolished and I called up Channel WPTF Channel 28 at that time they were a NBC affiliate so they could alert the local Preservation Historic group in Raleigh. But, too late. I still have a video of myself being interviewed on that fateful day.
The news crew met me out there to film the demolition.

MrDJDude
MrDJDude on August 9, 2009 at 9:26 am

Whatever’s there, this it isn’t. According to research done by the UNC Library, the address of the Capitol was 124-126 W. Martin
Raleigh, NC. If you map that on Google…there’s nothing in that area that remotely resembles a theater, looking at the street view. I’d say it’s gone.

bloodandmood
bloodandmood on August 9, 2009 at 8:14 am

The Wake County Jail now stands where the Capitol Theatre once stood.

Patsy
Patsy on July 31, 2009 at 9:17 pm

The photos that I viewed were among the CT links that you sent to me in regards to the 4 Raleigh theatres…2 closed and 2 demolished. The Wake and the Ambassador were both art deco in style!

Patsy
Patsy on July 31, 2009 at 9:11 pm

I wonder what the current status of this theatre in Raleigh is? It’s listed as “closed” so there might still be hope.

Patsy
Patsy on September 16, 2008 at 9:41 pm

Lost: Thanks………again!

Patsy
Patsy on September 16, 2008 at 8:47 pm

Lost: Please add these theatres with the hopes that someone will be able to add some description, history, etc.

Patsy
Patsy on September 16, 2008 at 8:46 pm

It would probably be best if someone with some knowledge of these theatres would add them…such as CT member, “travistarrant”. He and his mother are both natives of the area.

travistarrant
travistarrant on September 16, 2008 at 8:45 pm

I wouldn’t know too much about either of them as I am only 40 years old. Maybe the Raleigh City Museum or the News and Observer would have the information.

Patsy
Patsy on September 16, 2008 at 8:40 pm

Lost Memory: Yes, would you?

Patsy
Patsy on September 16, 2008 at 8:32 pm

I see that the Ambassador is CT listed, but not The Wake nor the State in Raleigh NC.

travistarrant
travistarrant on September 16, 2008 at 7:31 pm

I talked to my mother just awhile ago as we are both natives of the area and I asked her about the Capitol. She honestly couldn’t recall it and she is 70, but she did remember the State Theatre which I don’t believe is listed on the list of Raleigh theatres which was on Salisbury St. that is now a parking deck for county employees. She did remember the Ambassador and another theatre called The Wake, but the Capitol just doesn’t ring a bell with her.

Patsy
Patsy on September 16, 2008 at 5:51 pm

travistarrant: Thanks for this additional info…let us know what you locate at that address the next time you are in downtown Raleigh. If it is a business in that same space, you might find reminders of when it was once a theatre such as slanted floor, projectionist windows, balcony, etc. This has happened to me when visiting a marine store in Buffalo NY. Upon entering the business it had that “former theatre look” to the facade so I asked and was then taken on a tour of the upstairs where evidence of it being a theatre was found!

travistarrant
travistarrant on September 16, 2008 at 5:33 pm

The next time I make it to downtown Raleigh, I will look, because it may not be demolished after all. If it ever had been demolished, then a new business was put in its place. I say this because the map I’m looking at from mapquest states that it’s across from the Garland Jones building which used to be the old First Federal Savings and Loan Building, which would mean it was just up from the Wake County Jail and catty cornered across from the Federal Building/Post Office and the Wake County Courthouse.

Patsy
Patsy on September 16, 2008 at 4:03 pm

http://theatreorgans.com/au/opus/ This link has been helpful in finding many Wurlitzer organs, but doesn’t give any further information concerning opus 1567.

Patsy
Patsy on September 16, 2008 at 3:57 pm

And I wonder what happened to the Wurlitzer B Special (opus 1567)?

Patsy
Patsy on September 16, 2008 at 3:55 pm

And what is at 124 W. Martin Street now? I hope not another parking lot!

Patsy
Patsy on September 16, 2008 at 3:54 pm

travistarrant: Sorry to read the word…demolished as the b/w photo on this link shows it to have been a neat theatre.

travistarrant
travistarrant on September 16, 2008 at 12:39 am

The theatre is demolished

Patsy
Patsy on June 17, 2008 at 6:14 pm

I never got my answer to the closed or demolished question posted Dec 28, 2007 as my friend recently moved from Raleigh. Perhaps a CT member can fill in the theatre blanks.

Larc
Larc on June 17, 2008 at 5:22 pm

The Robert-Morton organ was replaced by a Wurlitzer B Special (opus 1567) in January 1927. A standard B was 2/4, but the “Special” status indicates an additional rank of pipes or other departure from specs.

Larc
Larc on March 12, 2008 at 8:57 pm

We kids called this theatre “The Two Stick” in the early 50s. You needed to take two sticks with you when you went: one to prop up the seat and another to keep the rats away! It always had a Saturday matinee western double feature. I saw some great stage shows there including The Three Stooges right after Curly left and Shemp joined the team. Smiley Burnette was there another time.

Patsy
Patsy on December 29, 2007 at 3:53 am

Is this theatre just “closed” or was it demolished? I have written a Raleigh friend and will hopefully get the answer!